Periodic Table of WIS

Silicon  Si

 

Where is silicon used--or where does it impact our everyday lives?

 

Elemental silicon looks metallic, but it is brittle (unlike metals, which are malleable).

 

Silicon is a semi metal and has interesting properties.  These properties enable silicon to be used in integrated circuits in electronics.  With phosphorus added to silicon, the extra valence electron on phosphorus is available as a semi conductor.

 

Silicon    Symbol: Si

Atomic number: 14      Atomic Mass: 28.09

Group number 16     Period number 2

Melting point: 1,414°C   (2,577°F)

Boiling point:   3,265°C  (5,909°F) Silicon is not oxidized until temp. exceeds 900°C

Silicon does not react with water or steam.

Electron configuration: [Ne] 3s2 3p2
Source: LANL.gov

Researcher Julia D-Y

 

 

Silicone sealer is a polymeric compound of silicon with oxygen and an organic component, like methyl groups.  The product here is used in plumbing and construction for sealing cracks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compounds of gallium and indium  with semimetals allow are utilized in LEDs, light-emitting diodes.  See a video of the red LED during a Chemistry One lab investigating the properties of metals, non-metals and metalloids.  The tester for electrical conductivity has a green and red LED.  The sample of silicon in the movie lights the diodes in the tester confirming the electrical conductivity of the metalloid silicon.

See the video of the use of red LEDs with  aluminum gallium indium phosphide (AlGaInP) and another video incuding  testing magnesium and silicon for electrical conductivity